Awareness and safer spaces
hello again. . . ! nice to have you all here!
We are really looking forward to enj oy four days of Hip Hop, fun, solidarity, thoughtfulness, feminist power, coziness, dancing and
interesting conversations with you.
bigger than. . . ! can only exist with and through all the different people with different backgrounds, perspectives and experiences who
come together here on the festival. We are aware that also leftist, self- organized spaces are not free of systems of oppression which
dominate our whole society. Discrimination, the crossing of personal boundaries and assaults can also happen in these spaces. Yet we wish
for the festival to be a space where everybody can feel comfortable. So here we present you some information on safer spaces on the fes-
tival and some of our thoughts on being considerate with one another.
safer spaces
We have two rooms which serve as kind of a retreat during daytime. They are in UJZ Korn.

One room is for f*l*t*i* ( womyn lesbian trans inter) . Which means that men do not have access to this room! It is on the second floor, behind the f*l*t*i*- sleeping places ( not accessible with wheelchair) .

If you need a little time to relax from the festival or if you want to come down after an uncomfortable situation you can come here. Mattresses, blankets, warm tea are waiting for you and you can also find some information material. If you use the rooms with several people please keep in mind that they are supposed to be quiet retreats.
Creating a space where everyone can feel comfortable is up to us all. . .
The rest we have to do ourselves. If we are here, we are all part of the festival- so creating a space where everyone can feel comfortable is the responsibility of each and everyone of us. Being aware of ourselves and each other means for us:
– Respecting the physical and mental boundaries of others. This could mean for example: being aware of how close you get to people and how much eye- contact is okay for them, while dancing. Being aware if everybody feels comfortable discussing a certain topic. Letting other people finish their sentences. Being aware of who talks how much and who takes up how much space in discussions. In general: Only the people affected can decide what a violation of their boundaries is.

– Not making any assumptions
The physical appearance of a person does not allow any assumptions about personal experience, positioning or history. Respect the self
identification of others. This could mean for example: if you are not sure which pronoun to use ( she, he none of those or both) ask
the person.
– Respecting criticism
“sorry, I didn’ t mean it. . . ”or “sure, but. . . ” are not respectful/accepting reactions.
– Being aware of “weird” situations
If you consider a situation weird, or you don’ t know how to handle a situation, if you feel uncomfortable with a situation or you are insecure if other people might feel uncomfortable: ask the people involved how they feel or get support(ers) .
– Respecting your own boundaries
This could mean: Be aware of your own feelings. If you feel overwhelmed by a situation make that clear. Especially if you don’ t feel able to support a person in a certain situation because of your own experiences.
If you want or need support for weird situations, assaults or boundary- crossing, ask for support at the bar or the entrance. The people doing shifts there can get you in touch with the Awareness Team.
The Awareness- Team
… is a group of f*l*t*i* people who have experience with anti- sexist support structures. They have time and a clear head to support you in uncomfortable situations. During the daytime you can find them in UJZ Korn ( if all the shifts can be filled) . The Awareness Team is present during the concerts and parties in Sturmglocke and you can reach them via the people doing the bar or the entrance shift. If you need a little distance from a situation, the people of the Awareness Team can bring you to a safer space nearby.
Last but not least:
If you have any criticism, ideas, thoughts, feelings on the festival, which you would like to share with the organisation group, we are happy! to hear it! You can either talk to us directly or use the box at the Infopoint.
So that bigger than. . . ! can live and learn on!